Booktalk!

Scenario

Congratulations! Your teacher has just chosen you to create a booktalk for second grade students at your school who are just beginning to read chapter books. Your goal is to get second grade students hooked, or interested in reading the book you recommend in your book talk. You have an awesome responsibility. Remember that children who get hooked on an author, or series, read frequently and you know that kids who read frequently do much better in school. Ready to hook some readers?

Essential Question: How do I get a young reader hooked on a book?

Task and Product

Your mission is to create an exciting booktalk, one which will get second grade students interested in the book you recommend. A booktalk is a 3-5 minute talk about a book you want to motivate others to read. For more information about booktalks, click here.

To begin, you must:

First, think about what gets you excited about reading. Is it the characters? Or, is it the setting, an exciting plot, interesting themes, or a personal connection you have with the story?

Second, find a great book to share. Click here for tips on how to find a great book.

Third, take notes as you analyze the book's characters, setting, and plot to determine the theme

Fourth, prepare an exciting script for your booktalk by:

	Including an interesting hook
	Thoroughly and vividly describing the setting and main characters
	Explaining how the themes address problems that your listeners are facing
	Retelling an exciting part of the story without revealing the ending
	Using props where appropriate to build interest
	Restating the title and author at the end of your booktalk
	Leaving your listeners with a compelling reason for checking out the book you recommended
	Click here for more tips for great booktalks.

Fifth, deliver your booktalk to your audience orally music video, or as a video documentary. Remember to:

Speak loudly and clearly.

Make frequent eye contact with your audience.

Speak with enthusiasm. Remember it's your job to hook your reader.

Assessment

You will be graded on your note-taking, as well as, your script and your presentation.

Assessment for Note-taking - html; Assessment for Note-Taking - Word format

Booktalk Rubric - Written Script - html; Rubric Script - Word format

Booktalk Rubric - Oral Presentation - html; Booktalk Oral - Word format

Question

Essential Question: How do I get a young reader hooked on a book?

Subsidiary Questions:

Many readers choose books because of the setting, characters, plot, themes, or a personal connection with the story.

	Is the setting vivid? Do you know exactly when and where the story takes place?
	Are the characters memorable? Do you know exactly what they look like and how they will behave?
	Is the plot exciting? Is it based on a compelling problem the main character faces?
	Are the themes universal?
	Do you have a personal connection to the story?

Other readers choose a book because of its genre.

What is the genre of the story?

	Horror?
	Realistic Fiction?
	Historical Fiction?
	Fantasy?
	Science Fiction?
	Romance?
	Animal Stories?
	Sports Fiction?

Still other readers choose a book because it is by their favorite author.

	What other books has your author written for children?
	When and where was your author born?
	Where does your author live now?
	What awards has your author received for his/her writing?
	Where did your author go to school?
	How does your author get ideas for new books?
	How does your author write books?

Gather

	First, choose a great book. For tips and web sites on choosing books, click here.
	Second, take notes as you read. Use one of these note-taking strategies.
	Third, check the Big Ideas page for suggestions on themes.
	Fourth, research other books by the author to see if there are similarities in settings, characters, plots, themes, choice of genre, or to see if the author writes from his or her own personal experiences. Use the questions above to jumpstart your thinking. Gather information from a variety of sources. Record the information you find on this graphic organizer.

Organize

Remember the question guiding your research.

Essential Question: How do I get a young reader hooked on a book?

	Is your note-taking organizer complete?
	Is your script written?
	Have you thoroughly rehearsed your booktalk?

Conclude

Are you ready to present your booktalk?

	Have you rehearsed your booktalk several times?
	Do you have an interesting hook?
	Do you thoroughly and vividly describe the setting and main characters?
	Do you explain how the themes address problems that your listeners are facing?
	Do you retell an exciting part of the story without revealing the ending?
	Do you restate the title and author at the end of your booktalk?
	Do you leave your listeners with a compelling reason for checking out the book you recommended?
	Did you include other books by the same author, as well as, other titles they might like?
	Do you make frequent eye contact with your audience?
	If you answered yes to all of these questions, then it's ready, set, go!

Reflection and/or Extension Activities: What new insights have you had about how readers get hooked on an author, or series?

Last update: July, 2003
Created by Sharon Grimes

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